The NBA and its Refs
The 2022-23 NBA season so far has given us some exhilarating games from our infamous and rising superstars, with their mind-boggling skills and efficiency. Like c’mon, no one can be tired of the jaw-dropping posters, the insane efficiency of all-around playmaking, and the exciting atmosphere of the game. Although we have all of that this season, the NBA and its players are dealing with a notable situation that’s getting worse and worse each and every game. Refs.
Yes, like any other sport, refereeing officials always play a big part of a sport, conducting a penalty that affects the game, depending on the player and the team. But with the NBA, the refs are the most controversial compared to all the sports around our country or possibly the entire world.
The Examples from This Year Alone
Ja Morant
In most of every basketball fan’s eyes, the NBA refs are becoming more egotistical and selfless compared to the past of this league. For example, one month ago, the ref ejected Grizzlies young superstar Ja Morant from a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder because he was having a small conversation with a fan during a free throw attempt. Which at that point, sounds like the ref had a big moneyline in favor of the Thunder. But jokes aside, this was an uncalled for ejection from the ref. In my opinion, an ejection should only be required if a player or a coach is being very inappropriate and refuses to tolerate on the court during game time, not when you encounter a fan and like to chit-chat for a few seconds.
Stephen Curry
Another recent incident that involved an uncalled ejection was a few days ago when the Warriors faced the Grizzlies, and in the last minute of the game, Stephen Curry threw his mouthpiece on the ground due to his frustration with Jordan Poole. The referee ejected him for the sole act of throwing his mouthpiece on the ground after having a minuscule problem with his teammate. It’s now becoming a problem where the refs are ejecting players due to the players’ emotions that aren’t even toward them.
The Controversial Lakers and Celtics Game
Now excluding the ejections, this game is more opinionated, which leaves different standpoints of this debate. The Los Angeles Lakers were going up against the Boston Celtics, which seemed to be a pretty hyped-up match for all basketball fans around the world. Throughout the whole game, both teams were neck and neck until the fourth quarter. The game was tied 105-105. LeBron James drives to the basket, seeking a game-winning layup until Jayson Tatum clearly slaps James’ wrist, which should’ve been a foul. Unfortunately for the Lakers they lost the game in overtime 125-121, and to make things worse, this wasn’t the first incident of this season for the Lakers.
After the controversial game, the NBA Referees on Twitter posted this, “Like everyone else, referees make mistakes. We made one at the end of last night’s game and that is gut-wrenching for us. This play will weigh heavily and cause sleepless nights as we strive to be the best referees we can be.”
Will There be a Resolving Answer or No?
When seeing a lot of comments in real life and on every social media platform from both the fans and even players, the question is, “Will we see a resolution from this arising situation? “ Well, some recommend that some refs should be fined for making unnecessary calls and ejections that drastically alter the outcome of the game. Some also say the refs should have more training which requires to have less strict rules and be more understanding from the players’ perspective. But from these past five to ten years of NBA, there have been numerous technical fouls and ejections that should’ve been nonexistent.
Now this is a biased, opinionated article about the controversy behind the refs of the NBA, but to see things on their end, there are some refs that actually are fair and not abusive with the rules of the game.
But the question still remains to Adam Silver and the rest of the NBA organization, “Will we see an outcome for this situation this year or not?” and “Will refs be held accountable for their mistaken actions?”
